Turki Alalshikh and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman are planning a big shakeup in boxing next year, and they’re not holding back. Calling it “the World Cup of the sport,” they unveiled the WBC Boxing Grand Prix, a tournament designed to bring an ancient dream into the modern ring.
“It was a dream of the 60s, dream for great man, he passed away and did not see that dream. But thank God, his son Mauricio Sulaiman is still here and we will help him to have this dream,” Alalshikh said, picking up on Sulaiman’s big reveal.
Sulaiman took over: “Together we created the Riyadh season, WBC boxing Grand Prix. This is basically the dream my father had. My father passed away with the dream of reaching the World Cup of the sport… Today I am thankful, grateful and very enthusiastic that this dream – thanks to the great support of (Alalshikh) and passion for boxing is a reality.
It’s not just a few fighters beating gloves. “It’s going to be four weight categories,” Sulaiman said, and will have “innovative rules … with a review system, with a new system of scoring … and a 30-second warning to end it at the end of the round more attractive.” Talk about mixing tradition with fresh seasoning.
And the scope of this is enormous: “It’s going to be 128 fighters, no more than 26 years old, no more than 10-12 fights,” explained Sulaiman. They will fight through quarter-finals, semi-finals and a “grand final” in Riyadh.
In short, they aim to give boxing fans a huge, youthful tournament that honors the past, celebrates the present and welcomes a new generation into the ring – all under a truly global spotlight.
